Middle School at Marin Waldorf School 2022

I joined Marin Waldorf School last fall as an introverted but interested student, entering a tightly knit class for the last year of middle school. I leave as an outgoing, confident student both socially and academically, and having become a part of the sweetest, most inclusive and welcoming class community I could wish for. Though it has been a short journey, my experience at MWS has made me confident in being myself, and given me a group of supportive friends and teachers that I know I can always turn to. —Alice, Class of 2020

Make MIDDLE SCHOOL meaningful

A

P A R E N T

REFLECTIONS

P E R S P E C T I V E

Tracie Pezzullo, whose daughter, Olivia, attended Marin Waldorf School before starting high school at Sonoma Academy, shares her experience and observations as a parent.

FROM

Olivia has attended Marin Waldorf School since 1st grade.

This has been an educational

experience which has allowed Olivia to thrive. When we visited Marin Waldorf School the

AN ALUMNI

first time we knew that the school was the perfect fit for her.

Waldorf education focuses

on the whole child, awakens the natural curiosity of a child and enables creativity in all aspects of education. The philosophy behind the education has allowed Olivia to develop

PARENT

her natural affinity to the arts, feel and play music, be challenged and excel academically and build strong relationships with her peers, her teachers, her community and nature.

The experiential based learning has taken her outside the classroom where she has lived as a gold miner without the modern conveniences of our time, plowed soil with the power of a workhorse in her hands on a biodynamic farm, worked with her classmates to the rhythm of working a tall-ship,

and trusted her teacher to deliver her to the beach on a pitch

black night hike similar to what the Coast Miwok people could have done.

She has been inconvenienced, experienced

physical challenges and overcome things she might have felt she couldn’t.

Olivia has gone outside her comfort zone and done speeches in front of her school community and felt their hope and support for her, she has become someone else in plays, and has been steadfast in offering her ideas and opinions in class.

Olivia works hard, she is very studious and gives 110% in her work.

We have never had to encourage Olivia or supervise her

home studies. She sets high standards for herself and does the work. She has been fulfilled by her school experience. She cares deeply for her school, is respectful to her teachers and the community and does it all with a smile on her face.

School Profile

Founded 1972, Fairfax, California Marin Waldorf School is a co-educational independent Waldorf day school, serving children from preschool to 8th grade.

Based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the Waldorf curriculum provides a well-rounded academic education that integrates art, music, healthy movement, languages, and outdoor education into academic disciplines.

Well-rounded academic and social programs emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving skills, healthy social life, and a love for learning that prepares students for high school, college, and beyond.

Accreditation: Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), full member Enrollment: 220 students, preschool to 8th grade. Our two-year preschool program enrolls children aged 2 years 9 months to 4 years old. Our two-year kindergarten program enrolls students ages 4-6.

Demographics: Families join Marin Waldorf School from cities across Marin County, including Sausalito, Mill Valley, San Rafael, and Novato, West Marin and Point Reyes; Santa Rosa and Petaluma in Sonoma County; and El Sobrante and Berkeley in the East Bay. Academic calendar: Our school year runs from September to June, with an optional 6-week day camp program for early childhood families during the summer break.

Programs: Two preschool classrooms, two kindergarten classrooms, and grades 1-8. We offer extended day programs concurrent with the school year, overseen by Waldorf-trained teachers. Our early childhood day camp serves children ages 3.5 to 6.

Faculty: 52 full-time and part-time members of our faculty and staff. The student to faculty ratio is 4 to 1.

Class sizes: Preschool class size is limited to 18 students, with a lead teacher and assistant teacher in each classroom; kindergarten classes are capped at 22 students, with a lead teacher and assistant teacher in each classroom. Grades classes are capped at 24.

Campus & Facilities: Our campus covers 10 acres in Lucas Valley and includes two pre-school classrooms, two kindergarten classrooms, a dedicated kindergarten play yard, eight grades classrooms, a library with more than 20,000 titles, five teaching gardens, a music room, a woodshop, a multipurpose and movement room, and large playing fields.

Academic Standards: The focus of our integrated curriculum is to foster the student’s critical thinking skills, emotional and social intelligence, and physical development. Parents play a key role. Parent-teacher conferences, midyear reports, and extensive written reports at year’s end help parents and teachers to work closely together to monitor each child’s progress. Letter grades are introduced in middle school.

Curriculum: Every child at Marin Waldorf School is taught a complete liberal arts curriculum that includes all the academic subjects of math, science, language arts, geography, history as well as foreign languages, environmental sciences, music, visual arts, physical education and sports, drama, woodwork, handwork, and outdoor exploration.

Music instruction: Choir, flutes, and singing in grades 1-8. Violin begins in 4th grade, with two orchestra teachers for grades 6, 7, and 8.

Select local high schools attended by our graduates: Marin Academy, Branson, San Domenico, Marin School, St. Vincent’s, Marin Catholic, Urban, Sonoma Academy, SF Waldorf, Summerfield Waldorf School, International School, The Bay School

Programs Overview Preschool

Kindergarten

Our preschool is designed with the young child in mind. Our warm and cozy classrooms feel like home and the gentle rhythm of each day creates a sense of order and security for preschoolers. At this age, children learn best through play and observation, and our teachers encourage the children's explorations into the world with stories, songs, beautiful handmade toys, and seasonal craft projects.

Preschoolers spend a large part of their day outdoors, rain or shine, in our beautiful preschool play yard and redwood grove, and gather to share a fresh organic snack, prepared in the classroom, every morning. Our low-tech approach to school and home life encourages imagination and wonder.

Grades 1-4

Watercolor painting and handcrafts Gardening Eurythmy Cooking and baking Singing and puppet shows Healthy movement and physical activity A fresh organic snack provided daily Weekly hikes in Lucas Valley, rain or shine

Grades 5-8

Our kindergarten program lays the groundwork for an innovative elementary curriculum, an interdisciplinary blend of languages, math, music, visual and practical arts, healthy movement, outdoor education, and more.

Coursework for students in grades 1-4 includes: Language Arts Math Choir Flutes Visual arts Carpentry Outdoor Education Ecology and Biology

Guided by a team of dedicated and experienced early childhood teachers, our joyful play-based kindergarten is designed to ignite a child’s curiosity and imagination.

Inviting and homelike classrooms and a beautiful outdoor play yard create a nurturing backdrop to structured activities and free play. Activities include:

Spanish Mandarin Physical education Gardening Handwork and knitting Violin Drama and theater Social studies

Marin Waldorf School's middle school program is experiential and multidisciplinary, preparing students to think critically, to build strong social bonds and an ethical worldview, and to excel in high school and beyond. Academic topics, from botany and physics to world history and drama, are taught in in-depth blocks, alongside a robust offering of subject classes in social ethics, environmental education, woodwork, handwork, orchestra, Spanish, Mandarin, music, environmental education, and gym.

Academic subjects are taught in blocks to encourage deeper engagement with the material, and hands-on and experiential learning is emphasized. Hikes and field trips off campus compliment campus studies.

As middle schoolers, students participate in annual class plays, ensemble performances, family events, and independent research projects. Visiting faculty are invited to teach subjects like anatomy and creative writing, and field trips, including overnights, augment campus learning with real-world observation and experience. Our robust outdoor education program includes an annual class trip for grades 5-8.

Extended Care

Summer Camp

Our early childhood aftercare program builds on the rhythm of the regular school day with rest, free play, and stories from 1pm-3pm or 1pm-5:20pm, for an additional fee. Extended care is available for grades 1-8 until 5:20 pm for an additional fee. Activities include hiking, woodwork, and study hall.

Summer Camp at Marin Waldorf School is based on the tenets of Waldorf early childhood education, incorporating ample outdoor activities and free play with a gentle daily rhythm. We hike, craft, cook, sing, and play together, spending most of the day outdoors. Open to children ages 3.5 to 6. June-July.

8th Grade Curriculum Sample Geography and Culture of Africa Study of geography, history and cultural exploration of Africa, prior to and including colonization and slave trade, and closing with more contemporary themes of resource exploitation and recovery of states through democratic measures. Emphasis on how geography/bioregions inform diversity of plants and animals, as well as people’s cultures in the various regions of the continent, and how various tribes developed into great kingdoms. Once understanding of indigenous people and their environs was established, additional study of both Christian and Islamic influences were brought. Stories coming out of the folktale tradition were woven into study of biography of important rulers, past and present, including tribal leaders of various kingdoms, Joseph Cinque, Nelson Mandela, and archeologist Louis Leakey. Artistic focus on African songs, maps, poetry and drawings accompanied all academic work.

The Short Story This block explored the Short Story in its myriad different forms and styles, and explored the evolution of narrative fiction. We looked at the short story and its components, with considerable emphasis on the following themes: plot, mood and theme; alliteration; characterization; figurative speech: simile, metaphor, personification and hyperbole; flashbacks and foreshadowing; setting; and point of view: first person, third person objective and omniscient. Considerable time was spent reading and analyzing many short stories to grasp how a short story is comprised. In turn, the students engaged in writing exercises designed to experience and practice, firsthand, various components of the short story, culminating in their own crafted short stories.

These compositions were worked through, revised and entered in their main lesson books. As in past years, students expressed courage in sharing written work and welcoming constructive criticism.

Human Anatomy In this three-week block our studies centered around the human skeletal and muscular systems. As the students are experiencing significant growth and hardening of their bones this block affords a wonderful opportunity to bring awareness to their own bodies. Thus, we looked deeply into the inseparable form and function of this dynamic system that allows for uprightness and movement. Various aspects of the body’s three-fold qualities were discussed, as were the major bones of the limbs, vertebrae, hand and foot, and joints of various types for mobility. This block’s emphasis was on keen observation, discussion and extrapolation of concepts, and accurately drawing and sculpting the various bones and musculature studied.

History: Revolutions To foster the Eighth Graders’ developmental threshold of transformation, the Eighth Grade curriculum strives to offer experiences expressing historical tumult, with clashes of class, new thoughts and technology, and urgings towards self-expression and religious freedom. Thus, we explored the rise of the American, French and Industrial Revolutions (following the new technologies of the day), and the increasing complexity of those times. Among the major topics, the students studied the American colonies and the founding fathers’ struggle to gain freedom from the economic, legal and philosophical ties with England, leading to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution; the fallout of the Reformation across Europe, King Louis’ rise to power and the French Court; Napoleon and the Reign of Terror, and the Age of Enlightenment; Industrialization, through the work of James Watt and the steam engine leading to economic shifts, great migration to cities and child labor/environmental challenges. Emphasis was placed on important biographies; cultural advances expressed through poetry and music, letter and expository writing, and mapmaking.

Physics Phenomena investigated were sound, light, heat, electricity, magnetism and the physics of water and air. The classroom activity followed a sequence given by Rudolf Steiner 100 years ago, and is even more relevant today. The children observed a demonstration of some phenomenon. No talking, no questions, no comments.

The teacher then recapitulated what was done. No theorizing, no speculation, no why did this happen. A clear and simple description of what was done—not what was seen. The following morning the children recapitulate what was done. Now comes the why and how! Rudolf Steiner realized that a true and deep understanding of the world can arise from thinking about what we observe. In the traditional academic world, the opposite is usually happening. Theory is introduced first, followed by experiment.

Class Eight Physics emphasizes the practical application of these basic world phenomena. Every car has hydraulic brakes; the students observed a simple application of how fluids behave under pressure. We use dozens of electric motors every day; those simple devices, arising out of the observation of electrical and magnetic phenomena 200 years ago, were also observed. And every motor built by this class was a success and served as the culmination of the Physics block.

Chinese Cultural Geography This two-week block had its focus on China, with a geographically cultural emphasis. We began by studying China’s physical geography and climate, with a focus on the watery elements, and how the geography was so influential to the growth of this enduring culture. Our study of climate, vegetation and landforms led the way to the key food products of rice and tea, and their use, as a connecting theme to historical trade, expansion and social implications. Our attention then turned to the enduring dynasties and religious and philosophical streams of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. We then looked at the industrious people of China and their building of the Great Wall, as well as their amazing advancement of technologies, festivals and tracking of time.

Red Scarf Girl, a story from the time of Maoist China, was read as a supplement to the students’ studies.

Chemistry of Life This block introduced the role of nutrition via carbohydrates, proteins and fats through demonstrations and discussions. Included were studies of plant structure and sugars/process; study and testing of sugars, digestion of carbohydrates with the aid of enzymes, properties of proteins and fats with an emphasis on digestion, physiology and nutrition. Students were introduced to testing reagents, general foodstuffs, paper- and soapmaking and cosmetics, as well as historical and cultural implications towards food and food production. As with all phenomenological sciences presented in the Waldorf curriculum, these chemistry demonstrations were observed one day, and then thought about, discussed and extrapolated upon the following day, with final work (will activity) found in the creation of the main lesson book pages pertaining to each lesson and concept introduced.

Eighth Grade Project: Research & Presentations The Eighth Grade Project is lengthy in nature, allowing students to: deeply research an area of interest; develop and hone organization and time-management skills; advocate for themselves; and ultimately present the culmination of their work to the Marin Waldorf School community.

Each student was guided through a series of steps: from imagining the topic of their research; to finding a mentor and writing a proposal to the Upper Grades Committee for approval; to planning material and support needs and following a clearly stated timeline; writing a series of drafts toward the final report; meeting with their mentor and teacher on a regular basis; and finally, offering a ten-minute presentation and being prepared to answer questions from their audience. Because of the diversity of individual topics, exact requirements were diminished; rather, students were expected to mold their projects to the needs of the chosen topics themselves.

Meteorology This two-week block wove in the main concepts of both local and global weather systems, relating at times to work done in our physics block. We began with observation, identification and artistic rendering of cloud types, and presentation of Luke Howard’s cloud classification. We also studied high and low pressure systems, ocean currents, Goethe’s barometer design, and cooling and warming trends. We studied the phenomena of extreme weather, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, as well as climate change implications. Student work was centered on accurate drawings and illustrations.

Geometry in Nature and The Platonic Solids This three-week block included the review of polygons and use of the vesica piscis to accurately construct both 2- and 3-dimensional polygons and solids. We then moved to the exploration of the Golden Proportion in ancient Greek mathematics—arising from the construction and mathematical relationships found in the pentagon. We then turned our attention to the work of Pythagoras and Euclid, the Archimedean and gnomonic spiral, and the relationship between the findings in these mathematical studies and that of plant formation and growth. Lastly, a study of the Platonic Solids in 3-dimensional constructions requiring accuracy and patience, as well as finding the formula of the five polyhedrons arrived at by Leonhard Euler. A portfolio of drawings and three-dimensional constructions comprise the main work of the students’ studies.

Eighth Grade Play: TWELFTH NIGHT Students were able to bring their Eighth Grade year to culmination with this wonderful Shakespeare comedy.

They were more actively involved in casting, stage management, set design, music and costume support than in years past, allowing for a greater level of both personal and group responsibility. Character development and speech articulation were main focuses as well. Students were graded on their character development, speech work, participation and cooperation, being able to put the group’s needs before their own, memorizing their lines on time and the final performances.

Language Arts Focused study this fall has been directed towards enhancing work done in main lesson blocks—improved selfediting of draft compositions, ongoing grammar and punctuation and spelling practice. Additionally, time was spent discussing and reviewing assigned literature: The Giver ; the journeys of Alexander Von Humboldt: Stars Mosquitos and Crocodiles ; Of Mice and Men ; The Old Man and the Sea; and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle . In October, the students began the study and writing of a series of personal essays with a variety of prompts.

These essays brought forth the storytelling aspects gleaned in the short story block, with added emphasis on reflection and how one’s thoughts are communicated through the written word. We wrapped up the fall block with the study of writing research papers, through our very first textbook: English, Grammar and Composition.

We continued using this book off and on into the spring semester to brush up on grammar and punctuation themes. Further assigned reading in the second semester centered around Isaac Asimov's Foundation, which presented challenges for many not familiar with science fiction; Red Scarf Girl , in conjunction with our Chinese Geography Block; Lincoln, an Autobiography , by Russell Freedman; To Kill a Mockingbird , by Harper Lee; and Diary of Anne Frank , by Anne Frank.

Cyber Civics This year began with a continuation of our work relating to the ideas of ethical thinking and how online communications can become more challenging and relationships can be diminished without proper guidelines.

We explored the difference between hurting someone intentionally or unintentionally, and how those challenges can be avoided with thoughtful care and reflection. Next we created Codes of Conduct—framed in the positive—that could serve as guidelines both on the internet and off; this discussion moved us to standard texting and emailing guidelines for communication. Cyberbullying and digital drama topics involved lively discussions and brought awareness of how damaging our actions can be when we are not going back to the “well” of ethical thinking and civility. We ended our first semester exploring how students can present themselves online in a way that is authentic, including projects of My Self, My Selfie and Say It In Six—a lovely exercise that inspired students to boil down their finest ideals to just six words—a tool they could use when expressing themselves on the internet. Our spring course included an exploration of each student’s digital diet, including a weekend assignment to inventory their reliance on devices in the world around them. We also explored online safety, and lessons relating to critical thinking, using Wikipedia, and understanding how to read “fake news” and digital stereotypes.

Painting/Drawing Moving away from traditional Waldorf watercolor techniques, the Eighth Grade turned their attention to pastel and charcoal drawings, rendering landscapes and environments from Africa. Slant-lined drawing technique was reviewed—with future work planned. We then turned towards watercolor pieces requiring more fluidity of not only technique but soul, as I asked the students to allow the water they applied to their paper to receive their color, and to literally “go with the flow.” This technique was challenging for those who find they want to have absolute control of the image on their paper. Further practice with this technique will help soften this tendency among some students. These paintings centered around a fall landscape and a scene from the book The Old Man and the Sea. Our second half of the year supported work of our main lesson blocks.

Following our Chinese Geography block, we delved into methods of bamboo brush and ink medium to create a number of landscapes and bamboo images. The students also went back into pastel work to draw from the work of Turner and other artists who were inspired by the cloud discoveries of Luke Howard. We also worked from American History to draw a steamboat along the Mississippi River bluffs.

Bookbinding This block was held during our double-period Friday arts block and functioned as both a practical and artistic course focusing on simple to increasingly difficult designs that served as the holder for book reviews, poetry, short stories and other playful writing projects. Early projects worked with single sheets of paper, with an emphasis on folding and cutting and glueing, leading to further reinforcement of measuring skills and eye/hand coordination, as well as following specific instructions. Following several simple projects the students proceeded toward creating their first book of signatures, using needle and thread, and developing covers in conjunction with a wide variety of provided papers and prints. This work culminated in our May project of traditional marbling of inside book papers and assembling our bound main lesson books. Included in this project were many tasks requiring precision: accurate measuring, snug sewing, correct sequencing of both pages and steps to ensure a long-lasting book.

Eighth Grade Community Service In the Eighth Grade, students chose individual community service projects and participated in them for a minimum of 15 hours over the course of the school year. The projects were meant to be rooted in improving the life or environment of others. Community service opportunities were available at school and in the student’s local areas; hours were recorded by students and submitted to their teacher at the close of the school year.

Eighth Grade Subject Overviews Gym Class Eight enjoyed basketball mostly, but also football, volleyball, Chicago-style softball, and archery this year when they were not training in track and field events: javelin, discus, shot put, long jump and many running events. Each lesson began with warm-up exercises followed by lap running or timed jump rope. Their results were recorded alongside the checklist of whether they came prepared in appropriate gym attire and with the required water bottle. We closed our lessons with Bothmer exercises.

Math This year in Accelerated Eighth Grade Math, we completed a full year of algebra. We started off by reviewing the foundations of algebra, including real number properties, exponents, expressions, equation-solving, and inequalities. We then explored linear equations and their graphs in great detail, as well as basic function notation, variation, scientific notation, and manipulating and factoring polynomials. We finished off the year with rational expressions and equations, systems of equations and inequalities, radical expressions and equations, quadratics, and imaginary numbers. Any student who excelled in this course should be ready for 9th Grade.

Geometry and 10th Grade Advanced Algebra The basic algebra group focused on solidifying foundational algebraic skills and work habits that will serve them in their high school math studies. The class studied: fundamental operations, positive and negative integers, rational numbers, exponents, functions, graphing on the coordinate plane, properties of numbers, one and two step equations, and much more. Note taking, organization of student work and study habits were also a primary focus.

Woodwork In Eighth Grade woodworking the students design and construct a tenon and wedge stool using a variety of skills and tools. They are allowed to use electric drills and sanders as they have earned the privilege by building their own electric motors in a science block.

Handwork The handwork curriculum in Eighth Grade is based on the history, use and mechanics of the sewing machine. It goes hand-in-hand with the study of the Industrial Revolution. The course begins with the biographies of Elias Howe, Jr. and Isaac Merritt Singer who invented and developed the sewing machine. We discussed the parts and functions of the machine and its mechanics. We took measurements and examined pattern design and layout for making an article of clothing. After selecting a pattern and buying fabric, the students cut, marked, pinned, and finally sewed pieces together. Each student completed a pair of pajama pants this year. Some were able to complete other projects including a second pair of pants, and all helped with beanbags for several toss games gifted to the auction and the school.

Orchestra The 7/8th Orchestra worked on more detailed musical elements of ensemble playing this year, including more advanced key signatures. They played a variety of music genres with pieces such as “Hey Jude,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Crocodile Rock,” and various Classical and Folk tunes from the “Classics Extraordinaire” books.

Attention to directions as well as taking responsibility for practicing one’s own part to contribute to the group experience are important elements of playing an instrument in an ensemble.

Students are expected to practice at least 20 minutes 5 times per week, and to fill in these times on the weekly practice chart. Bringing this chart and one’s instrument to class every week, as well as having a positive and polite attitude in class, are the components of grading in Orchestra.

The 7/8th Grade Orchestra performed the finale from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony at the Winter Assembly.

This was a very polished performance that boosted the group’s confidence. In addition to playing for the May Faire dances, the class participated in the Annual Spring Orchestra Concert at St. Vincent’s and performed melodies from “Pirates of the Caribbean” as well as themes from the “New World Symphony” by Antonin Dvorak. They learned a 3-part fiddle tune by ear (The Treaty of Paris) and played it together with the 4th through 6th Grade string groups for the big concert finale.

Music In the second half of the school year, the choir studied and performed a 3-part choral version of “Blackbird” by the Beatles, a heartfelt and joyful rendition of “Thank You for the Music” by ABBA, a challenging tongue twister, “Betty Botter,” and a Renaissance classic “Sing We and Chant It” in many parts. Currently, the choir continues to sing a variety of pieces in 3-4 parts.

Choir studies include vocal technique and ear training. The main emphasis, however, is on teamwork and participation and this skill is the most important factor in the student’s grade.

Outdoor Ed At Marin Waldorf School, we are fortunate to be surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape that affords many outdoor recreational activities. We begin each outing with a moment of gratitude for the land, the sky, the water and our classmates. We discuss the hazards we might encounter and how to safely deal with them.

We then head out into the miles of open space within walking distance of our school. It was exciting to share the surrounding hills and creeks of Lucas Valley with this year’s Eighth Grade class. One of the goals of our program is to give the students a sense of place of the Marin Waldorf School and the adjacent open space. This class, in particular, had a strong connection to many places, and even specific trees we visited during our time together. As the class moved toward the end of the year, our focus was on their preparation for their class trip to the Eel River. Through practical activities, we experienced living as a group, cooking, eating, cleaning up, and playing. This group of students came together and formed a cohesive unit that was a pleasure take out into the world.

Environmental Ed Environmental Education for Class Eight is meant to expand the students’ awareness of different municipal systems that are in place to allow our communities to function. Students created picture notes of our field trips and also created a biodynamic planting chart. We explored the progression of rain to drinking water, gray water, and then wastewater. One of our field trips took us to the sanitary landfill in Novato, and the students viewed (and smelled) where our garbage goes when we throw something “away.” We heard how quickly this landfill is filling, garbage is being compacted onto more garbage and the hill is getting higher and higher. While there, we were invited to hold some of the birds of prey that act as a deterrent to the thousands of seagulls.

Another field trip took us to visit a recycle and trash transfer station and we discussed environmentally sound choices when choosing packaging of products. We visited the San Geronimo Water Treatment Facility and saw how raw water is transformed, with filters and added chemicals, into the water that comes out of our faucets.

On our final field trip we toured the wastewater facility to begin to understand how toilet water is treated to prepare it to safely flow back into the Bay and our water cycle. Christina Bertea, the original Greywater Guerilla and first Union licensed female plumber in California, presented more environmentally sound methods to reuse water and the importance of artistic activism on behalf of conserving the water that is available to us. The students were exposed to the ideas of rain and gray-water harvesting and dry toilets to defer the vast quantities of water we are accustomed to using. Overall, we felt that Class Eight’s Environmental Education curriculum encouraged students to begin considering the world they are heading into through the study of municipalities.

Spanish This year, the Eighth Graders worked on their Spanish through conversation, reading and writing. We reviewed grammar learned over the years and applied it in written compositions, conversations and many exercises. We continued to practice the conjugation of verbs in all tenses, spending a lot of time with the differences between “ser” and “estar,” and with reflexive verbs. They became quite capable with conjugating verbs this year. Additionally, students wrote several compositions in Spanish. The students worked on and presented individual and group projects, using proper grammar and including an artistic element.

Eurythmy The essential work this year has been cultivating accuracy in thinking out of artistic feeling in order to awaken a love for “The Ideal.” By working with grammar in relationship to spatial choreographic principles, the thinking is directed to the archetypal foundations of language and sentence structure. This particular eurythmical approach to movement is called Apollonian. Each aspect of language, be it a verb, a noun, a conjunction, etc. has a specific form in space. Going even deeper, each of these aspects have a specific quality. For example, there could be an active verb or a passive verb; a concrete noun or an abstract noun. These qualities would be expressed through different spatial movement. By working with the speech of the revolutionary Patrick Henry, the students were given an experience of vigor and love for the Ideal of Independence, yet for the sake of the whole. Other work done this year was counter rhythms and rhythmical sequences; concentration exercises; and bringing complex geometric patterns collectively into movement. Complementing these activities, extensive foundational work has taken place, these have been: Three-Fold-Walking, Basic Rhythms and the movements for the sounds of the alphabet. All these principles were the basis for their Spring Eurythmy Performance. As a class, different students presented: The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls by H. W. Longfellow, Rondo Alla Turca by Mozart and a verse by Dag Hammarskjöld.

“How Do They Do Out There?”

Transitioning From Waldorf to a Mainstream High School Renewal: A Journal for Waldorf Education

15 May 2019

by Peter Lawton, EDD

The first Waldorf school in Stuttgart, Germany, provided a full K–12 education, from kindergarten through high school. In North America today, however, only 42 of the 119 AWSNA member schools have a high school and can offer a twelve or thirteen-year Waldorf experience. The other schools are K–8, and their graduates must continue their education at a local public high school or at another independent high school. Even in areas with a viable Waldorf high school option, some Waldorf elementary graduates choose to transfer to other schools. Among the reasons often given are the desire for broader social experiences, more developed athletic programs, and opportunities for varied academic concentrations.

The educational experiences of a student who has attended Waldorf school through grade eight differ in many ways from those of students who have attended mainstream public or independent schools.

Waldorf graduates have had much less contact with computers as an educational tool. They have had less experience taking tests, particularly those that are purely quantitative in measure or that focus on the retention of facts. They have had little experience with traditional textbooks. They are used to studying natural phenomena through observation and personal experience rather than through abstract concepts and formulae. They are used to the integration of academic study and artistic activity. And they are used to the intimate and supportive social environment of a relatively small school, and of classmates, teachers, and community members whom they may have known since kindergarten.

As a Waldorf elementary teacher in a school lacking a high school, I have been very interested in two questions: • How do our graduates fare in their transition to mainstream public or independent high schools?

• Is there anything more we can do to prepare them for this transition?

These questions were the focus of research for my doctoral dissertation. In considering how to answer the first question, I decided that first-person descriptions of the actual transitional experiences of Waldorf elementary graduates would be more important than any outward measures of success such as GPAS or class standing. And because student experiences entail emotional states related to feelings of competence, belonging, and, perhaps most importantly, meaning, I decided that in-depth interviews would be the best way to understand those experiences.

I conducted interviews with students who had attended a Waldorf school through eighth grade and were attending non-waldorf high schools. I compiled over five hundred pages of written transcript in the process. I interviewed only high school seniors and recent graduates because I was concerned about the ability of a freshman—or even a sophomore—to contextualize or interpret transitional experiences while in the midst of the transition process. And, in fact, all of the interviewees shared the experience of later reevaluating and reinterpreting their initial transitional experiences. I also consulted

research into the normal high school transition experience—the transition to high school from traditional elementary, middle, and junior high schools. Finally, I compared the transitional experiences of the Waldorf interviewees to the typical or normal high school transition experience described in the scholarly literature.

The Academic Transition From my research, the common concern that Waldorf graduates might be at a disadvantage with regard to specific academic content—what they already know about any specific subject area—seems unfounded. None of the participants mentioned feeling unprepared in any specific content area, including science and technology. Neither did any participant mention feeling underprepared in other content areas such as math, language arts, or world languages. And I should be clear: Interviewees did not report a complete absence of content gaps— that would be surprising in any school change.

But, as they explained, those gaps did not pose any important transitional challenges. The overwhelming majority of participants reported doing very well academically their freshman year, and half the interviewees described their high school academic programs as basically “easy.”

Participants reported that their academic adjustment to high school pertained more to new instructional methods and learning styles—how teachers teach and how students learn—than to specific academic content. Instruction in high school was more teacher-centered and visually oriented and included an increase in the use of textbooks, lectures, and supplemental worksheets. Grading and testing were more quantitative, abstract, and fact-based. Learning itself became more passive in nature. The artistic, experiential, and cooperative social modes of learning that students experienced during their Waldorf years were, for the most part, not present. The students’ comments on testing and grading were consistent. Most of the students were motivated to achieve high grades, although many felt grading was one-dimensional and heavily weighted toward the reproduction of facts. Despite the substantial dissonance between Waldorf and mainstream high school pedagogy, the students were able to adjust in a relatively short time—about a semester for most.

Participants reported that the main challenge to achieving desired grades initially involved, again, acclimating to new instructional methods and not to any academic content per se. One important area of adaptation involved learning “how to work for a grade.” One student described receiving poor grades on his first few history tests. At first, the student thought he was “bad” at history, or was, perhaps, unprepared for high school. Then he realized his teacher was not looking for him to reinterpret or synthesize content in his own words, but to rewrite the boldface sections of the textbook from memory!

As I stated earlier, the transition experience not only entails emotional states related to feelings of competence (i.e., grades), but also emotional states related to meaning. Participant adjustment to new instructional methods and learning styles came at a cost. In fact, every one of the Waldorf graduates I interviewed reported their intrinsic connection to academic material declined in high school. They were less interested and engaged in their studies and found less meaning in their schoolwork.

Nevertheless, students maintained their motivation to do well academically and achieve desired grades.

Waldorf students are not alone in their need to adjust to new instructional methods in high school.

Research shows the biggest transitional concern for students coming from a public elementary or middle school regards “academic nuts and bolts.” Aspects of academic life that may be new and challenging include testing and grading practices, homework protocols, attendance requirements, lack of coordination between different academic departments, and prerequisites for certain courses. Also, new students need to figure out where to go for academic or other help. Research shows that while

Waldorf students experience a certain “nuts and bolts” adjustment, the same probably applies to any high school freshman. But it bears repeating— the academic adjustment period for the majority of participants lasted less than one semester.

The Social Transition Going to a new and, in most cases, much larger school invariably involves social challenges. These include making new friends, becoming part of a social group, developing a sense of belonging, and learning how to relate to teachers. In this process, school size is crucial. One hundred percent of the interviewees who transitioned to larger high schools reported feeling a less personal connection with teachers and a less familiar connection with the student population in general than at their Waldorf schools. Half of the participants attending smaller high schools reported having a positive experience of their school community. That seems encouraging, though it means the other half of students did not have a positive social experience, even at a smaller school.

Waldorf alums are not alone in the social challenges they face in their transition to high school.

Mainstream research confirms that many of the social emotional challenges reported by Waldorf grade eight graduates, including relational challenges, anxiety, and a decrease in motivation, are also experienced by students from mainstream schools. Research has also shown that school size is one of the most important structural characteristics associated with academic and social success across the high school transition. Positive academic and social outcomes, including feeling a sense of belonging, occur more often in smaller high schools with student populations under one thousand.

In assessing their own transitional social challenges, participants explained that the initial difficulty they experienced in making new friends and developing a general sense of belonging in their new high schools was not due only to the size and newness (to them) of the school. It also related directly to the new instructional methods and learning styles described above. A majority of interviewees explained that passive, teacher-focused instructional approaches and the de-emphasis on artistic, experiential, and cooperative social modes of learning hindered their ability to make new friends and experience a sense of community and shared purpose. Artistic, experiential, and cooperative social modes of learning are not only inherently more meaningful, they also help foster a deeper sense of community and belonging.

Implications In general, it can be said that Waldorf graduates fare well academically in their new high school environments. Still, there may be things that Waldorf elementary schools can do to prepare students for their academic transition. This preparation might include familiarizing students with some of the academic “nuts and bolts” they will soon experience in high school. This familiarization process need not be formal or constitute the central content of any unit of study. Starting in the middle school years, teachers may want to begin introducing terms such as “syllabus,” “rubric,” and “performance vs. proficiency grading.” They may want to discuss different ways in which grades are calculated or weighted and the pros and cons and the advantages and pitfalls of different grading practices. They may even want to give students the opportunity to study and rehearse best practice strategies for taking various types of tests. And, it goes without saying, teachers will want to continue to provide regular, imaginative, and explicit descriptions of desirable student work habits— habits that will prove successful in any educational environment. I have emphasized the importance of hard work and a good attitude to my current eighth graders 101 times and in 101 different ways.

However, with regard to the main transitional academic challenge reported by Waldorf graduates, it is perhaps not advisable to expose elementary school students to passive, abstract teaching and

learning strategies they will encounter later on. Given the possible damaging, long-term effects of passive learning and performance-oriented grading schemes on children before age thirteen or fourteen, and their dubious efficacy in preparing students for future competitive environments, and given the relatively short “nuts and bolts” adjustment period in high school, it may be enough to simply give Waldorf eighth graders a “heads-up” on some of the more unhealthy, traditional instructional methods they will encounter.

Imagining how Waldorf schools can better prepare students for their social transition to high school is a much harder exercise. This is in part because, as research indicates, the social adjustment to high school is difficult for all students, including those coming from mainstream schools. Some of the social challenges Waldorf graduates experience may simply be “baked in” to the system. Or, put differently, potential social remedies may exist not in the students’ former schools, but in the high schools themselves. Anxiety, relational challenges, and declines in motivation are all part of the “normal” high school transition experience. They seem to be challenges experienced by freshman regardless of their former school. Thus, the concern that Waldorf students may be disadvantaged by having been schooled in a small, protective “social bubble” may be unfounded.

Nevertheless, there may be ways to help make the social adjustment smoother for the students who will leave us after eighth grade. Certainly, schools could offer formal counseling to families about choosing an appropriate high school for their child. The class teacher and other professional staff could work with the parents and the student to discern what kind of school would best meet the student’s unique emotional, social, and academic needs. An outgoing, resilient student will likely thrive in a large high school, while a shy, anxious student might be happier in a smaller, more intimate school setting. Counseling could also include what to expect in any normal high school transition.

Sometimes the value of a small, supportive social environment will have to be weighed against a rich and challenging academic program that is available in a larger school.

We parents and teachers can do much to help prepare the young people in our care for the next step in their education. However, we can take comfort in the fact that, assuming we have done our job in raising and educating them, the vast majority of Waldorf eighth grade graduates will survive and thrive wherever they continue their education—at a Waldorf high school or at a mainstream public or independent institution.

Feature

In the Loop

Proponents find much to like about the practice of keeping a teacher with the same students for two or more years by JIM GRANT, IRV RICHARDSON AND CHAR FORSTEN Imagine you had to begin each school year with a brand new staff. Every year, every professional and every support specialist working in your school had begun his or her first year there. Every principal, teacher, custodian and food service worker wouldn’t know the routines, the curriculum or the procedures you expected them to follow. There would be no building upon last year’s successes.

In addition, the personalities of individual staff members and their impact on the culture of the school would be unknown to everyone as they started the year. As an administrator, you wouldn’t anticipate high productivity until staff members learned what was expected of them and how to work together to benefit the students.

For most administrators, the idea of 100 percent staff turnover is an unpleasant one to consider. Successful schools (and districts) depend on continuity of staff, curricula and programs from one year to the next in order to continually improve.

Some educators are discovering that this continuity on which schools rely also can work in the classroom. Instead of starting each school year with a completely new group of students, some teachers are staying with their students for a second year at the next grade level, a practice that is known as "looping."

Early Roots While attention being given to this classroom practice in educational publications has increased in recent years, the idea of a teacher staying with the same group of students for more than one academic year is far from new. Looping, also known in places as "teacher cycling," "teacher rotation" or "persistence teams," has a long history.

A 1913 memo from the U.S. Department of the Interior (back in the days when there was no federal agency responsible for public education) touted looping as one of the most important issues facing urban schools: "Shall teachers in graded schools be advanced from grade to grade with their pupils through a series of two, three, four or more years so that they may come to know the children they teach and be able to build the work of the latter years on that of the earlier years, or shall teachers be required to remain year after year in the same grade while the children, promoted from grade to grade, are taught by a different teacher every year? This I believe to be one of the most important questions of city school administration."

In the national network of Waldorf schools, which are based on the theories of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, students stay with the same teacher from 1st through 8th grade. In smaller rural schools, small student populations often require that students have the same teacher for more than one school year.

Since the 1950s and ’60s when smaller schools began getting consolidated into larger ones, the idea of a separate teacher for each grade level has become an expectation for many parents and students. A teacher for each grade level has become so common that often teachers are defined by the grade level they teach: "She’s a 2nd-grade teacher;" "He’s a 6th-grade teacher." Because many elementary school teachers spend all or most of their careers assigned to one grade level, they tend to be thought of as specialists in that grade level rather than as specialists of teaching children.

Potential Gains With the idea of a different teacher for each grade level so ingrained in public consciousness, why have some educators decided to keep their students together for a second or even a third year?

Looping has several potential benefits. The word "potential" is key here because with looping, as with any other educational reform, the benefits must be realized by what the teacher does with students in the classroom rather than from the structure itself. Looping makes it easier for certain positive outcomes to happen, but looping doesn’t cause them to happen.

Schools that have effectively implemented the looping structure point to the following benefits: improved relationships among students and between teachers and students, more efficient instruction, higher attendance rates, reduced student retentions, fewer referrals of students to special education programs and improved student discipline.

Perhaps the most important reason for deciding to keep students and teachers together for a second year is to continue the relationship built during the first year. Many experts are citing the importance of significant relationships in young people’s lives. As James P. Comer, who runs the School Development Program at Yale University, puts it: "No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship." One of the core beliefs of the School Development Program, which has succeeded with inner-city and at-risk youth, is that children’s most meaningful learning occurs through positive and supportive relationships with caring and nurturing adults.

Texas educator Ruby Payne, noted for her work with students of poverty, stresses how important teachers and administrators are as role models and recommends that "schools establish schedules and instructional arrangements that allow students to stay with the same teachers for three or more years." Adds Ronald D. Stephens, director of the National School Safety Center: "Despite all the fancy hardware, the single most effective violence-prevention strategy is the physical presence of a caring adult."

The notion of finding a new dentist or physician each year for every child seems absurd. We want children to know their doctors and to feel comfortable with them. It is important for physicians to know their patients as they grow and develop. Yet for many of these same children, their schools assign them to a new teacher and require they learn a new set of classroom routines and adult expectations every year.

Toward the end of the school year, many teachers have the feeling that "if I could just have more time with these students, I could teach them what they need to learn." After spending eight months with a group, a teacher has learned each child’s academic and emotional needs--just when the educational opportunity is ending. Looping allows the relationships between teachers and students to blossom and deepen over a two- or three-year period.

In addition to expanding student/teacher relationships, a teacher who keeps his or her students for a second year will extend relationships with the students’ families. The parents of some students have had negative school experiences and are reluctant who participate in school activities and engage their child’s teacher. Looping enables reluctant parents to participate in school activities with a consistent school contact, and it allows the teacher two full years to engage families and help them support their children and their education.

Summer Learning With students staying with a teacher for a second year, the instructional time in the classroom is used differently than in a one-year classroom. At the end of the first year of looping, a teacher can spend more time on academic instruction instead of putting closure on a class experience. The end of the school year isn’t characterized as the ending of a class, but instead as the beginning of a longer break.

When teachers and students know they will be gathering again the next school year, many looping teachers turn the customary "free from academics" summer break into instructional time by providing summer assignments and learning activities. While it is possible to assign summer academic work to students who aren’t looping, there is a great benefit to having the work assigned and assessed by the same teacher. The students also know they will be held accountable for

accomplishing the work when they return to class after the break.

At the beginning of the school year, most teachers spend time on establishing classroom routines and norms, and rightly so. Routines and procedures help students to learn and help the classroom to run efficiently. Teachers looping with their students can begin the second year with a minimal review of classroom routines. Most of the students already will have spent a full school year within this classroom environment and will know the teacher and the routines. The few students who are assigned to the class during the summer or who are switching to the classroom can learn the routines from peers instead of waiting to learn them from the teacher.

In looping classes, the teacher spends a full academic year learning about each individual student’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as which teaching strategies are most effective. The early part of the school year is spent reviewing the work accomplished during the summer and picking up academic instruction where it left off the previous spring. The looping teacher doesn’t have to spend the same amount of time assessing student academic needs to get started with appropriate and effective instruction as does a single-year teacher who is teaching students for the first time.

While some reforms spend valuable resources and can be difficult concepts to implement, looping is cost-effective. A two-year looping cycle requires only two teachers from consecutive grade levels to exchange grade levels every year.

Aside from the teacher’s learning the curriculum for a new grade level and possibly minimal additional funds needed for supplementary materials for each teacher at the new grade level, looping doesn’t require additional training or staffing.

The classroom furnishings and the instructional materials purchased for each classroom remain identical for looping and non-looping structures.

Research Backing The recent renewed interest in looping has brought about an ever-increasing number of studies examining the effectiveness of structure. Much of the research is qualitative and documents the positive experiences parents, students and teachers have had with looping. A National Middle Schools Association study of looping at a school in Gainesville, Fla., by Paul George and colleagues found approximately 70 percent of the teachers reported that teaching the same students for three years allowed them to use more positive approaches to classroom management. In addition, 84 percent of the teachers reported more positive relationships with parents.

The Attleboro, Mass., School District uses looping for students in 1st through 8th grades. Research over a seven-year period by district officials found the following: • • • • •

Student attendance in grades 2 through 8 increased from 92 percent average daily attendance to 97 percent; Retention rates decreased by more than 43 percent in those same grades; Discipline and suspensions, especially at the middle schools, declined significantly; Special education referrals decreased by more than 55 percent; and Staff attendance improved markedly from an average of seven days absent per staff member per year to fewer than three.

At the Albany Upper Elementary School in Alexander, La., Principal Flo Hill worked with a professor at Southeastern Louisiana University to investigate the effectiveness of the school’s looping classrooms. Their initial results show that in these looping classrooms, when compared to the school’s unit-grade classrooms, the median national percentiles are higher, parents attend open houses at a higher rate, parental involvement in general is higher, and the average daily attendance is higher.

Concerns and Obstacles Looping is a concept that makes intuitive sense--by allowing teachers to teach a class of students for a longer period of time and by capitalizing on the teacher’s increased knowledge of students and their academic needs, as well as on an increased amount of learning time resulting from fewer transitions.

To implement looping well, however, requires an effective teacher, plus support from the administration, the teachers’

union and parents of the students enrolled in the looping classroom.

Many parents and administrators express concern about having students with the same teacher for two years. These concerns center around the possibility that their child will be assigned to an ineffective teacher for two years or the inability of the teacher to successfully organize and teach a second year with the same students without resorting to the same sensitivities and lessons.

Interestingly, the 1913 document from the Department of the Interior raises these concerns and offers a response: "The answer to both objections is easy and evident. The inefficient teacher should be eliminated. The man or woman who is unable to teach a group of children through more than one year should not be permitted to waste their money, time and opportunity through a single year."

For looping to work, two teachers must have the desire and freedom to leave one grade level, proceed with the students to the next grade, and then return to their initial grade level to repeat the looping cycle. In states or districts where seniority is determined by grade-level assignment, it is unlikely that teachers will leave the grade level at which they have seniority to teach at a new grade level at which they would have the least seniority, thus risking the loss of their teaching position. In schools where teaching assignments have become ossified over the years, a teacher hoping to loop would be unable to do so unless he or she could convince another teacher from the next grade level to switch grade levels every other year.

Blossoming Relationships Now that we have arrived at the year 2000, we need to search for effective school practices that help students achieve high standards. In this new millennium, we would do well to look back at an idea first written about nearly a century ago: the idea of keeping students and teachers together for more than just one year.

While being mindful of noted education researcher John Goodlad’s caution that "no administrative or organizational decision by itself solves any instructional problem," we can be confident that looping, when done well and supported by teachers, parents and administrators, will raise student achievement and allow relationships between teachers and students to blossom.

Jim Grant is executive director of The Society For Developmental Education, P.O. Box 577, Peterborough, NH 03458. Email: jgrant@socdeved.com. Irv Richardson is associate executive director and Char Forsten is national program director at the same organization.

Independent Schools of the San Francisco Bay Area Common Confidential Student Evaluation Form (2nd – 8th Grade Applicants) www.issfba.org Child’s Name ____________________________________ Date of Birth _______________ Applying to Grade ______ Last

First

Middle

Month/Day/Year

To be completed by the parent/guardian: Complete the above information and read/sign the statement below. Give a signed copy of this form to your child’s teacher(s) and request that they send it directly to the schools to which your child is applying by each school’s due date.

For the child named above, I give my permission to release the information on this form to the school(s) to which I am applying and understand that I will not have access to this confidential information. In addition, I permit my child’s current school staff to speak with and/or welcome a visit from any inquiring admission staff member, so that they may learn more about my child for admissions purposes. All communication between schools will remain confidential, and I will not have access to the content of any conversation.

Name of parent/guardian (please print) __________________________________________________ Date __________________ Signature of parent/guardian ___________________________________________________________________________________ To be completed by the teacher: It is only necessary to complete this form once. Consult with the child’s parent/guardian regarding the school(s) to which the family is applying. Please save this completed form for your records and email or mail a copy directly to each of the indicated schools. We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in evaluating this applicant honestly and assure you that this information will be held in confidence. Please be sure the parent/guardian has signed above.

Name of School ___________________________ Child’s Enrollment Start Date _______________ End Date ___________________ I am the student’s o Current Teacher o Previous Teacher o Math Teacher o English Teacher o Homeroom Teacher o Other Is English the child’s primary language? _______ Language______________ How long have you known this child? _______________ (If not English)

List three words to describe this child: 1. ______________________ 2. _______________________ 3. _______________________ What inspires this child? What discourages this child? ________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For each item in the tables below, please check the most developmentally age-appropriate description of this child.

Academic Performance

Not Evident

Needs Improvement

Emerging

Age Appropriate

Advanced

Academic ability Academic performance Ability to work in a group Ability to work independently Intellectual curiosity Motivation/Effort Participation in discussions Ability to express ideas orally Ability to express ideas in writing Follows directions Demonstrates self-control in classroom Executive functioning skills Attention span Persistence Use of class time Seeks help when needed Comments: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Revised April 26, 2017

2nd – 8th Grade Common Student Evaluation Form

Page 1 of 2

Child’s Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Last

First

Middle

For each item in the tables below, please check the most developmentally age-appropriate description of this child:

Personal Characteristics

Not Evident

Needs Improvement

Emerging

Age Appropriate

Advanced

Imagination Leadership potential Classroom conduct Self-confidence Respect for teachers Reaction to criticism Integrity/Trustworthiness Relationship with peers Accepts responsibility for actions Uses language to problem solve Consideration of others Maturity Sense of humor Seeks advice/help when needed Demonstrates self control on playground Conduct in specialist classes Transitions easily Comments: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Family Information

Did Not Observe

Rarely

Sometimes

Usually

Consistently

Has realistic expectations for their child Communicates openly with the school Follows the rules and policies of the school Cooperates with classroom teachers Follows through with school recommendations Cooperates with school administration Participates in school activities Is punctual with drop-off and pick-up procedures Respectful of teachers’ time Comments: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What are this child’s strengths? _________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What are this child’s challenges? ________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Describe this child’s approach to learning (hands on, visual, kinetic, auditory, logical) and/or what kind of classroom environment would be a good match for this child. __________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION: ¨ Recommended

¨ Recommended with reservations (please ¨ Prefer not to make a recommendation (please explain below) explain below) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

¨ Check here if any information pertaining to this child/family would be better communicated by phone. Please feel free to add further narrative on additional page(s) if desired.

Form completed by (print name)_____________________________________

Position ________________________ Date ___________________

Your signature __________________________________________________

Email ___________________________ Phone _________________

School Name ___________________________________________________

Director/Principal’s Email ___________________________________

Director/Principal’s Name __________________________________________

Director/Principal’s Phone ___________________________________

Revised April 26, 2017

2nd – 8th Grade Common Student Evaluation Form

Page 2 of 2

Admissions Deadlines and Important Dates 2022-2023 January 31:

Applications for fall 2022-2023 due Applications for tuition assistance (new families) due*

March 1:

Reenrollment contracts go out to current families

March 8:

New preschool enrollment contacts offered Reenrollment contracts for returning families due

March 15:

New preschool contracts due

March 17:

New K-8 enrollment contracts offered

March 24:

New K-8 enrollment contracts due

*For applications after January 31, 2022, please contact our admissions office at admissions@marinwaldorf.org

Preschool & Kindergarten Applicants 1. Attend a campus tour with admission team 2. Complete the online application* 3. If applicable, complete tuition assistance application (open Kindergarten only)* 4. Submit teacher recommendation form (for students who were previously enrolled at a daycare or school program) 5. Parents and child attend in-person interview with teachers

Grades 1-8 Applications 1. Attend a campus tour with admissions team 2. Complete the online application* 3. If applicable, complete Tuition Assistance application* 4. Submit teacher recommendation form 5. Parents and child attend in-person interview with teacher 6. Child visits prospective class for 3 consecutive days

*Please see marinwaldorf.org/admissions for links to application and financial aid forms